Rigorous imprisonment for book thief

A person who pleaded guilty for stealing books from the Lake House Bookshop located at Colombo 2 was sentenced to 26 months rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo Fort Magistrate today.

At the outset, presenting a finger print report regarding the previous conviction records of the accused, the Slave Island police alleged that he had earlier been convicted by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on a previous occasion and sentenced to two years suspended imprisonment. Police further alleged that the suspect had committed this offence while he was serving the suspended imprisonment term.

The accused was first ordered to serve a two year rigorous imprisonment term and subsequently a two month term for this particular offence. Furthermore, Magistrate Ms. Lanka Jayaratne imposed a fine of Rs.3,000 on the accused.

A security officer on a complaint to the Slave Island Police alleged that the accused customer who entered the bookshop had stolen four books valued at Rs.3125. The Slave Island police alleged he could have stolen the set of books to sell them to an outsider.